Creative Sound BlasterAxx: New speaker range that is Siri friendly

Creative, the company that used to dominate how you listened to music on your computer, has released a new speaker range that connects to your computer, smartphone, and tablet.

The three new Sound BlasterAxx models - yes, that really is the name of them - will sport a tall column speaker design that comes with Bluetooth and USB connectivity and a number of tricks up its sleeve to entice you to choose it over a number of its competitors including helping Siri to better hear you.

Creative says that the speakers will promise support in three areas: improving your listening experience, improving speaking to others, and also improving voice recognition services like Siri.

On the listening side of things, the speakers will feature a built-in microphone so you can talk to the speakers when you get a phone call or a Skype call on your PC, and feature an accompanying app allowing you to control the speakers from your iPhone, Android, or iPad when you are away from the PC.

Creative is bragging that one of the key strengths of the new speakers will be excellent noise reduction to lessen background noise, as well as the ability to determine where you are and keep the volume the same whether you are near or far away from the speakers.

There is also a new focus feature that allows you to focus the mic so only you can be heard, while cutting out background noise such as a screaming child. If you want to include the family you can also widen the capture area.

As with Creative's headphone range, users will be able to change their voice on the fly with the software pretending to be an elf or an old man, for example, with the software and hardware working to create the "magic".

The speakers will also come with an app to let you connect your mobile device to your iPad to improve gaming sound or if you just happen to be listening to music.

Although the speaker can be plugged into the wall, Creative is says that for the times when you want to go to the park you can run the speaker range from a simple USB charging pack, normally used for recharging your phone, although it doesn't have an internal battery.

When it comes to Siri, the speakers will actively listen out for your Siri commands, meaning you don't theoretically have to look at your iPhone to issue commands - but you still have to press the button.

In several demos at the UK launch, the speakers seem to work well, providing ample sound and coping with a number of live actions including actively cancelling out the noise of a hairdryer, and moving away from the camera.

Top of the range is the SBX-20 that will come with Bluetooth connectivity. It will cost £179.99, A slightly smaller model the SBX-10 will cost £129.99, while a USB only model, called the SBX-8, will cost £79.99.

Stuart has been a tech journalist since 1998 and written for a number of publications around the world. Regularly turning up on television, radio and in newspapers, Stuart has played with virtually every gadget available.